Different types of moveable barrier operators have been sold over the years and these systems have been used to actuate various types of moveable barriers. For example, garage door operators have been used to move garage doors and gate operators have been used to open and close gates.
Such barrier movement operators may include various mechanisms to open and close the barrier. For instance, a wall control unit may be coupled to the barrier movement operator and sends signals to a head unit thereby causing the head unit to open and close the barrier. In addition, operators often include a receiver unit at the head unit to receive wireless transmissions from a hand-held code transmitter or from a keypad transmitter, which may be affixed to the outside of the area closed by the barrier or other structure.
As mentioned, gate operators are one type of barrier operator and are often used to control entry to areas such as parking lots, buildings, garages, and toll roads. Gate operators are typically constructed of a rigid, single-piece extendable arm. The arm, for instance, constructed of a material such as wood or metal, is positioned parallel to the ground to prevent entry to a protected area. On the other hand, when entry is desired, the arm is moved in an arcuate path upward to allow the vehicle or person to pass through the opening into the protected area.
Unfortunately, the barriers used in these previous systems are bulky and require the presence of an open arc of space to allow the barrier to be placed in the open position. This can be a problem in many circumstances, such as in many enclosed areas, where upward space is at a premium. In addition, as the arm swings downward, the bottom of the barrier arm needs to be protected from impacting an obstruction. For instance, various secondary safety devices (e.g., motion sensors, IR beams) need to be employed to prevent damage from obstructions. These devices can be expensive and bulky, leading to increased system cost and user inconvenience.